Thursday, May 15, 2008

U.S. Prof, Student Find Honey Wound Dressings Effective

Healing Honey
MSU News Service, 5/14/2008

Honey reduces pain and odor in wounds. It has strong antibacterial properties, says Karen Zulkowski, MSU associate professor of nursing in Billings. But don't raid a beehive or spoon honey out of a jar and slather it onto a wound.

Zulkowski and student Jayme Day went to Billings Health and Rehabilitation to test a dressing that uses Manuka honey in calcium alginate. The honey had been sterilized. The calcium alginate retained moisture so the dressing wouldn't stick to the wound, but helped remove dead tissue.

Finding the dressing effective, Day presented her results this spring at MSU's Student Research Celebration. She and Zulkowski will explain their research this summer to the World Union of Wound Healing Societies. Honey dressings have been used in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe.

No comments: